We team up with Wicked Audio for a look at three of their rather inexpensive products: The Hero headphones, Deuce Earbuds, and the Heist Earbuds. The question that we sought to answer was one we all face: do you buy portable audio components, earbuds and headphones, on the cheap knowing that you’re going to lose them or do you spend more for better quality and watch them like a hawk? What is the trade off? Can you live with the sound output by these 3 components from Wicked?

HeroThe Wicked Audio HERO headphones are, for lack of a better word, wicked. I’ll explain my findings about these headphones based one two proven tests: how I think it sounds (5 pts) and how my teen thinks it sounds (95pts). They sounded great to me, so here’s what my teen thinks:

I spend probably half an hour a day on the bus with yelling high school students and sometimes bad pop or rap music playing. What do I resort to? My own music, of course. The big problem I’ve had for years now is that the headphones never exactly block out the sound of everything else. It’s always my music, plus annoying kids, plus annoying music. This all ended with the Hero headphones. They are an over-ear headphone that blocks out everything from annoying kids and bad music, to nagging family members and trains passing by. I was so happy to finally find a pair of headphones that suited me and my often loud life.

Not only is their ability to block out excess sound amazing, but the audio quality in the HERO is some of the best I’ve heard in a while. The music sounds good for everything — Green Day, One Direction, The Fray, you name it. I was amazed at the clarity of the music and the vocals. I am one of those music nerds who enjoy finding the harmonies in the song. These headphones make it easier to do that than ever before.

The HERO comes in blue (with yellow,) and red (with black.) The cord length is 4-feet and the ear cups have a 180 degree swivel, making so it fits comfortably no matter the shape of your head. The headband is adjustable, again suiting all head shapes. The headphones have enhanced bass and are extremely noise-isolating.

These are the best headphones I’ve let my teen live with daily and are priced at around $30 – that’s a price I can live with and one she can afford should bad things happen to them. “When villainous sound plagues your ears there’s only one solution. Wicked HERO.” the box says, and my we both agree.

DeuceThese are the Wicked Audio DEUCE earbuds and they cost just $10 ($15 with an inline mic) – keep the price in mind. As my review finds that these really wouldn’t compete with spending just a few dollars more on a better model, the price-point cannot be argued against.

Wicked does a real good job at noise isolation. All the outside noise is immediately whisked away by these earbuds. The three different sizes of cushions for the buds help provide maximum comfort and offer some decent noise insulation. They come in 10 colors: black, blue, lime green, orange, pink, magenta, red, teal, white, and yellow. They look snazzy and fit comfortably while transporting you to the place where the music lives.

However, the DEUCE have a drawback and it’s not all that minor. The sound quality of the headphones is just not what I have come to expect from Wicked Audio headphones. The sound is tinny and hollow, with an echo which just makes the sound bad. At first I thought it was just me but after some further research and reading other users’ reviews, I found that they ran into the same problems that I had — the sound quality just wasn’t there.

If all you’re looking for in a pair of headphones is style for cheap, the DEUCE are the earbuds for you at just a Hamilton. If you want something more from your earbuds, a sound quality that blows you away, then spend your money elsewhere and you’ll be happier. These, honestly, are a disappointment to the Wicked Audio name.

Heist When you look at these headphones, there is one thing that most likely stands out to you, besides the fact that they’re yellow. It would be the extra jack on the headphones themselves. At one time or another, we all have done the awkward earbud share when attempting to get your friends or family to listen to your music.

‘The share,’ when if one person moves, an earbud falls out or you both end up too closely in each listener’s personal space. This is awkward and no one enjoys this, I promise you. The HEIST headphones are like no others that I have seen, in that they let you to share your music without sharing your headphones.

Here’s what impressed me most about the Heist: the splitter jack is located around the middle of the cord, so sharing doesn’t force the people to be too close for comfort. Along with their sharing ability, the HEIST have enhanced bass, making it seem like a concert right in front of your ears. On top of this, the people at Wicked Audio have found a way to make the headphones well noise-insulated.

The Wicked Audio HEIST is available in yellow, red or black. They come with three different sets of cushions, making them work well for all ear sizes — from slightly smaller than Dumbo to little mouse sized. The cord is the usual 4-feet long and the small design, as that of any set of earbuds that are in ear, making it quite easy for travel.